Metamask: Pinata PIN List API fetching unpinned images and files
As a Pinata user, you are probably familiar with accessing Pinata Cloud data via their official APIs. However, I have come across an issue where unpinning several images and files from my Pinata account, despite my efforts, continues to fetch new ones from the Pinata PIN List API.
Problem
When you pin or unpin content on Pinata, you usually need to update the Pin List API accordingly to reflect the changes in your data. However, the Pinata API does not seem to honor these updates. Specifically:
- Unpinning multiple items at once may result in new images and files being fetched from the PIN List API.
- If you unpin specific pins or content types (e.g. assets), the API may attempt to fetch related items.
Solution
I have explored several options to resolve this issue:
- API Keys
: The Pinata documentation suggests that setting up your own API key can help prevent such issues. However, using an API key without proper authentication can lead to unauthorized access and security issues.
- PIN List Updates: Pinata provides APIs to update the PIN list itself (e.g. the
pinListendpoint). While this may seem like a potential solution, it requires a more complex implementation and understanding of Pinata’s internal data structures.
Solution: Using Webhooks
After exploring alternative approaches, I found that using webhooks can be an effective way to resolve this issue. Here is a suggested solution:
Step-by-step instructions
- Set up your Pinata webhook: Create a new webhook in your Pinata account following the instructions in their documentation.
- Configure the webhook to catch unpinned events: Set up the webhook to detect unpinned items and send notifications or updates as needed.
- Use the fetch API to refresh the pin list data: When an item is unpinned, use the fetch API to retrieve updated pin list data from Pinata’s servers. This should prevent new images and files from being loaded.
Sample code
// Assume you have a Webhook endpoint (e.g.
const webhookUrl = '
const apiKey = 'YOUR_API_KEY';
fetch(${webhookUrl}?action=update&api_key=${apiKey})
.then(response => {
if (!response.ok) {
throw new Error('API response:', response.status);
}
return response.json();
})
.then(data => {
// Update the Pin List data with the retrieved information
const updatedPinList = { ...data.pinList }; // assume 'pinList' is an array of objects
// update your local database or storage with the new Pin List data
})
.catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));
Conclusion
By setting up a webhook to catch unpinned events and using the “fetch” API to refresh the Pin List data, you can effectively solve the problem of retrieving unpinned images and files from your Pinata account. This solution requires some technical knowledge, but should provide reliable and efficient access to your Pinata Cloud data.
Please keep in mind that this is just one possible solution and there may be other approaches or solutions depending on your specific use case.
